Builders Love Creating Homes with the Best Log Siding 

You’re not the only one who likes cabins with log siding exteriors. Builders prefer this material to full logs because it’s much easier to work with, goes up faster, and is safer. Contractors are challenged by a shortage of skilled workers, weather delays, material shortages, and getting cranes to building sites. Anything they can do to keep on schedule and within budget when building a log cabin home is a blessing. Getting behind on the job results in financial losses and creates client unhappiness. This is where the benefits of log siding come into play.

Working with Pine or Cedar log siding rarely poses problems with government regulations, city ordinances, building permits, or building inspectors. It’s easier to communicate with workers installing siding than it is with lifting and placing long, massive full logs in place. Mistakes can be corrected easier and faster working with siding, and if they occur, getting back on schedule is typically not an issue.  

The Issues with Full Logs 

Building a cabin or home from full logs carries with it some issues not faced with using log siding. Some are apparent, and others will show up over time. They include: 

• The wind: Wind can be a problem during and after construction on any log structure. A burst of strong wind can move a log being hoisted by a crane and hit the cabin or a worker. It can cause a worker who is holding it to lose his or her balance and fall. It can speed up the drying and cracking of wood, chinking, and caulk more than log siding.  
• Humidity: If you live in a humid area, you face more challenges with mold, mildew, and fungus creeping into cracks in logs that are not treated well. This tends to occur in dark corners, and  areas that are shaded all day. Humidity in the form of rain, sleet, snow, and generally high moisture count can all add up to trouble. 
• Woodpeckers and Insects: These pesky critters can mistake your log walls for a place to search for bugs to eat or a place to call home. Many homeowners don’t maintain their exterior log walls well enough to prevent attracting these and other pests. 
• Ground Moisture: Builders know to keep the bottom row of logs off the ground to avoid absorbing ground moisture and rotting. However, some do-it-yourself cabin builders don’t follow sound construction principles and place that bottom row too close to the ground. When this happens, you face the same issues with humidity above, plus the elements can wear away stain and sealant protection much quicker.  

Log Home Kits Aren’t Perfect Either 

Some prospective cabin builders face the same or similar issues by purchasing a log home kit. The manufacturers and sellers of these kits typically don’t alert you to the potential problems with full logs. They come with standardized materials and parts, and if you want to customize your cabin, it may cost a lot more. Stick with standard construction methods and use log siding and you won’t be sorry.  

Do yourself a favor and put log siding into your cabin plans. You will save time, money, and all the hassles discussed thus far. Leading building suppliers have the materials you need and can provide valuable advice to supplement your contractor’s plans.  

Some Specific Benefits of Wood Siding 

 Pine and Cedar log siding comes with some specific benefits you will appreciate every day: 

• You get the full log look and feel. 
• It comes in convenient lengths, widths, and thicknesses. 
• Log siding works equally well on the interior as it does on the exterior. 
• Its tongue and groove with end matching features secure the boards tightly. 
• Chinking is not necessary. 
• Siding can be installed with simple tools and fasteners. 
• Homeowners with fundamental woodworking skills can do the work. 

Log siding from leading millworks is created with select wood and sawed to precise dimensions and standards. This high-quality product will be hand inspected and free of defects for your building enjoyment. The options of raw, peeled, and pre-finished siding are available so you can create the look desired.  

If you as the homeowner decide to install the siding, you can order instructional videos at nominal cost. If this is your plan, it’s a good idea to order the videos now and watch them before hiring a contractor. They will provide a realistic preview of the work that’s in store and will help you make the correct decision.  

America’s Leader Is Waiting for Your Order 

The WoodWorkers Shoppe takes pride in being America’s leader in log home wood products. We mill and offer everything from log siding, paneling, trim, corner systems, flooring, decking, doors, stairways, and more. If you have questions about building your own home or having a contractor do the work, give us a call at 855-906-5520.